Black and White
by DEATHmuse
Summary: AU. A starving artist comes to the aid of a snarky blonde boy. Based in the Renaissance, this is a heartwarming tale on how the organization and his affinity for a certain boy came to be through Axel's green eyes. AkuRoku.


Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, although I wish I did. If you like yaoi (guy on guy), then you'll like this, and if you don't like it, don't read it and please save us the trouble. This is one of my first fanfics, so give me some criticism, but don't make me bleed kittens. 'Kay thanks, and I hope you enjoy the first chapter and many others to come!

December 15th 1517

Sometimes, I don't know why I bother.

I normally don't mind Roxas following me around, but now he has to live with me? I honestly don't have the means to support us, or myself for that matter. I've nothing to offer him, so why me? I've gotta learn to keep my mouth shut. Then, I wouldn't be in this mess. I mean, what the hell was I thinking? I had better write down how it all happened before I forget-- if that's even possible.

Yesterday was just your typical winter day. The weather was overcast, cold, and damp-- Not necessarily the best combination, if I may add. I sat down in my usual spot in front of the bakery after I tied up my horse. Many other merchants set up around me and we carried on in simple banter, nothing out of the ordinary. Same, boring, daily routine. The repetitions were only suspended when someone would bump into me accidentally, waking me from the foggy haze. And today, that person had to be Roxas, who had just successfully thrown a huge marble at my temple. That pipsqueak was always up to no good.

"You're looking like an expensive hobo today, Axel," Roxas mused with a smirk as he tucked the bag of marbles into his pocket, watching me rub my head furiously. Little brat. As soon as he sat next to me, I made sure that he got the worst noogie of his lifetime.

"What do ya want now, ya leech?" I hissed as he struggled to escape my grasp.

"What would you say if I told you I found someone that's interested in one of your paintings?" Roxas asked after finally fumbling away and straightening out his thick coat. I had to give him a questioning look because it was always once in a blue moon that someone would purchase my work. I took out a hunk of beef jerky and started to chew.

"Liar," I began, pointing an accusing digit at the boy, "C'mon, Roxas. I share my food with you all the time now, so you don't have to lie to me anymore. Even if they _were_ interested in some art why would they come to me?"

Roxas let out a small laugh and picked up one of my paintings, observing it lightly. "I don't understand why you're so hard on yourself, Axel. They're very nice." I smiled at the compliment, but it quickly dissipated as he continued. "You just suck at matching colors. I mean seriously, look at this." He took a seat next to me and pointed to a herd of cows in the painting before he spoke again. "Why are they purple and eating orange grass?"

I looked at him, slightly agitated. "What are ya talking about? Making fun of me again, huh? You really don't want any of my jerky do ya?" Roxas only rolled his eyes at my comment.

"Whatever you say, Axel. Anyhow, the guy that wants to buy one of your half-assed paintings will be on his way a bit after lunch. He's a wealthy collector from France or something. Says he specializes in all that is _eccentric_," Roxas said with a small grin as I scowled.

"You had better not be pulling my leg, squirt. And in what way is my work eccentric?" I questioned, handing Roxas a piece of beef jerky. He accepted with much alacrity.

Soon, the marketplace was overrun with prospective buyers. People walked by looking at some of my wares. Some would just smile and stare, while others would simply buy some tools. It was just business as usual, haggling and scrounging endlessly to make sure you would eat that night. Those tax collectors were ruthless. Everyday, there was at least one merchant that would go stone-broke and had to leave with nothing. Perhaps today, I'd have enough money left over so I could eat some decent food.

"Axel, let me hold the money so they won't take it all. I know they're going to mess you up today. You've sold a lot, and I know they need extra funding for the war," Roxas said anxiously. I wish I could have but there was really no choice for me. I don't know if he heard me when I told him or if he simply ignored it.

"You know better than that, Roxas. If I don't pay up, I'll be in the front lines of the war by tomorrow morning, and you know what that means. You'll have no one to bug." He pulled three of the copper coins out of my hands and stuffed them into the lining of his jacket, then pushed me jokingly.

"Whatever. Just try to keep a straight face when they come by. You couldn't lie to save your life. I'll come back when they leave."

As he ran off into the bakery, the collectors approached me to collect their dues. Of course, they left me with nothing but a single half-shilling coin. It was bullshit, but it was better than having squat like it had been for the past five days.

Eventually, Roxas came out of the shop with half a loaf of sweet bread. "Martha sends you some," he offered with a smile while slyly taking a hunk of bread. I laughed and shook my head.

"That lady is gonna go broke if she keeps giving me all this food. I really don't know how to repay her," I sighed.

"Ever try a thank you?" he suggested sardonically in between bites of starch as he handed me the copper coins.

I laughed and admitted that despite having an austere life, it was nice to have some people on your side. This was some of the best, damned bread in all of London, and it was still warm, too. We kept eating until he heard a ruckus in the marketplace, the sounds of laughing and gasps filling the crowd. We turned in the direction of the snickering and amidst all the people, a rather heavy man walked among them. He was dressed in one of the brightest colors that I had ever seen, practically blinding everyone that unfortunately got in his way. He was sporting a rather huge feathered hat, and as if that weren't enough, he was wearing some sort of frilly skirt that I could have sworn was orange.

I looked at Roxas blankly.

"Please don't tell me that that's the guy I'm supposed to sell my stuff to."

Soon enough, the bulky man was right in front of my face, obviously having no sense of personal space. "You are zee one who be selling zee paintings?" he asked with a crooked smile, and I stood up to shake his hand.

"You betcha. My name's Axel, and that short kid over there is my associate, Roxas." I said it with a snicker, noticing Roxas sticking out his tongue in protest.

"My friend, you looks like a painting, wiff zee pink plaid scarf you're wearing. But it compliments your green eyes and robin red hair."

I gave him a strange look and he obviously got the point. "So what can I get ya?" I inquired, pulling out some paintings and wares. As soon as they were in view, the man's eyes glinted with happiness, a bit like a kid on Christmas morning. It was pretty creepy as he looked at them, smiling and speaking to himself in French.

"Roxas, you do good zing to bringing me here. Friend Axel, I'll take zem all! Just name zee price and I take zem back to France wiff me."

I looked at him with cold shock. "You gotta be shit'n me. You actually want them?" I asked incredulously as he dropped twenty-five golden crowns into the old paint can. They were freakin' gold coins. Not silver or copper. Gold. "Whoa man, I can't let you give me this much. Leave me with five of these babies, and I'll be able to feed myself for a good month or two."

The chubby man laughed deeply as I tried to shove some of his crowns back into his meaty hands. "A modest one you are, zis not nearly enough for zis fine art. When I come back in zee spring I 'ope you have more for me to collect. Dous all a favor wiff zat money and buy nice clothes for you and your little brozer. _Merci beaucoup_, friends."

I thanked him as he walked off and when I looked back, Roxas was smiling smugly. "What'd I tell you? Foreigners love weird stuff," Roxas said, eating more of the sweet bread. I really didn't know how to say thank you but I knew I was indebted to Roxas for a very long time.

I ruffled his hair. "You done good, squirt. Here, take this. Tell your parents that you found them or something." I placed a couple of coins in his palm and watched Roxas stare at them admiringly.

"You don't have to give me any. You did all the work, anyhow. It's nice to see that someone wanted to buy your funky art. Man, I can't believe he took the one with that beige and salmon pink cat," Roxas laughed while choking on his food. I smiled but I had to ask him why he thought my art was so strange. They were just like anyone else's, and I painted rather tame things. As I turned to Roxas to ask my question, a snowball smashed into my face, knocking me backwards. I wiped the icy debris from my face, listening to Roxas's mocking chuckles.

"You little… Oh, I'm going to get you!" I exclaimed loudly as I picked myself up and charged after him. Stupid kid. He knew I hated cold shit.

Roxas' eyes were glittering with amusement. "You looked constipated or something! I had to lighten you up," he called back, running into the field across from the busy market. I chased after him, hot on his trail and almost grabbing onto his bulky coat. I lunged forward, but I found myself head first in the snow, entangled in his jacket. I looked up, helpless as a turtle on its back. I locked eyes with the boy, and he winked at me as he shoved a snowball under my shirt. Damn him! My chest was screaming, burning at the sensation. I looked back up at his eyes, brimming with mischief. Despite being caught in a flinch, I grabbed onto his arm and pulled him down with me. He pleaded with me, but still I turned him over, shoving him into the snow.

"You little shit. I bet you thought you were gonna get away with it, didn't ya?" I accused, trying to stifle the urge to laugh. He shook his head and began to cackle as my stranglehold became a tickle.

These were the times that I treasured secretly.

In the distance, I could hear someone calling me, so I left Roxas where he lay to go see what one of my fellow merchants wanted, but not before dumping some snow onto his face. I smirked and jogged over to see Martha, the bakery owner, whose face had a pained expression.

"Sorry I didn't thank you earlier. I was just about to-"

She stopped me before I could speak anymore, and pointed to some tax collectors that were looming over my paint can. In my horror, I had remembered I had left it unprotected. I was almost sure that they were going to take it all; Luxord had already picked it up and was counting the contents. There was almost no way I could haggle, him being the royal treasurer and all. And he just loved the look on my face whenever he took my money. I walked over to him with clenched fists.

"Where did you come across gold crowns, Axel?" He teased with a smirk.

"Look, Luxord, if you're going to take it, then take it and save me the trouble. I don't feel like talking to you right now," I said it with all the civility I could muster. His smile only grew.

"Don't address me so informally, merchant. You're forgetting your place. I won't go until you answer my question," he growled.

I looked away and answered in a scowl. "A man from France bought my art. He seemed to like it and gave me all those crowns."

Luxord laughed as he stroked his small beard. "It's the most you've ever made." Rage flickered inside me as he walked away with my money, throwing a crown onto the ground.

If there was ever a time I wanted to kick my own ass, it had to be this one.

Roxas approached me slowly, watching the scene unfold from afar. "That guy is such a jerk," he said, shaking his fist.

I smiled slightly picking up the leftover crown. "Heh, the guy knows I would knock him out if he wasn't so damn 'important'." Roxas tapped my shoulder then, and I looked over at him. He dug around in his pocket and pulled out a handful of crowns. My eyes widened. "Roxas, where the hell did you-" he interrupted me before I could speak.

"What part of 'expert pickpocket' don't you understand?"

I was stunned. "Holy mack, Roxas! If he finds out, he's gonna throw you right into the slammer! What then? How the hell am I gonna get you out of that one?" I placed my hands on his shoulders, forcing him to make eye contact with me. He merely put the coins into my drinking cup and waved his arms as he laughed.

"Jeez, calm down, mom. Of course I would never steal from him. I don't have a death wish! Those are your coins. I grabbed them when you were still wiping the snow from your face. I knew those guys were going to be here, I heard them talking about it last night."

I looked at him dumbfounded. "Where the hell were you were you when you overheard this?" I asked in an exasperated tone. He grinned slyly and spoke.

"Drunks are bad at keeping their voices down. I live by the pub; it's down the street from my house. Apparently he drinks the cheap stuff."

I looked at him questioningly, but I eased into a smile. "Pretty good Roxas, I'm impressed." I patted him on the back. He smiled widely, as if the praise had been better than the golden coins that I had given him.

"Really?" He was caught by surprise as I hit him over the head.

"Stupid, of course not! Don't ya ever do that again! Your parents don't care that you're out so late? If they don't, I sure do! It's been so dangerous lately and I don't want you getting into any trouble. Thanks for what ya did today, but be careful Roxas."

He looked at me sorely as he rubbed his head. Guilt crept into my mind, but the kid deserved it.

It had started to snow and we sat silently for a couple minutes. A thin film of snow had covered our coats. Like before, the only thing that made Roxas visible to my eyes was his head and the parts of his coat that were protected from the white sleet. It was an interesting effect the snow had, something that made almost everyone invisible. I poked one of the spikes matted on his head to start conversation.

"Sorry, kid. I just don't think that Luxord would appreciate a sixteen-year-old following him around town, casually listening in on his conversations." He smiled and pulled my hand away, looking at the linen that I had wrapped around them, moist from the snowball fight.

"Yeah, whatever, Axel. You and your stupid hobo gloves. I get it," he said jokingly. I pulled my hands away and started to collect all of my belongings.

"I'm gonna pack up early today. You go back home to your momma and papa. Little runt, shouldn't ya be in school?" He looked away and faked a smile.

"Heh, my parents don't care too much. And let's just say I graduated with a degree in street smarts." I smiled at his comment, though it left me perplexed. Maybe his parents were abusive? I wasn't really sure, but it wasn't my business. I just left it as it was.

I had packed everything and loaded it onto my horse. Roxas always seemed to be a little sad when I left, but today was different. Most of the time I would leave and he would find something to do. Now, it seemed he was a little anxious. I rode off silently, hearing my horse's hooves make soft sounds as they walked over the snow-covered cobblestones. Roxas followed me silently for a ways.

"How much did you actually leave in the tin cup?" I asked, "You know, when Luxord came around to collect the extra dues?" Roxas looked up at me and grinned, trying to shake off all the excess snow from his thick coat.

"I only left three in there. I figured he was going to take it all, so I left what might be believable to him," he answered, still following me along. We had made it to the city gates and it had become darker, a snowstorm brewing in the distance. Thick, ominous clouds filled the distant sky. "Is there something wrong, half-pint?" I asked. Roxas had never followed me this far. "You know I live on the outskirts of the village, and it might be too far for you to come all that way. Your parents would flip and you'd never make it back before sundown, with the heartless and all. That's unless you don't mind tagging along, you'd have to stay the night." He contemplated my offer for a second, but he shook his head and walked away.

"Nah, don't worry about it, Axel. Sorry, I don't know what's up with me today. I had these nightmares last night…" He trailed off and sighed. "Anyway, I'll see you later. You're right, my parents will freak out." He looked at me absently and made his way down the alley. His comment worried me a little, so I had to turn around and ask him what was wrong. I couldn't really avoid it now, and it was early enough that I would make it home before the sun set.

"Hey squirt, you sure you don't want to talk about it?" I insisted in the calmest tone I could muster. He turned around and gave me a smile and waved.

"If you're ever in some trouble, just go up the dirt road until you reach a scarecrow, make a right and keep walking for about five or seven minutes until you see some wooden posts. That's the way to my place, just follow them until you get there."

I looked back to see if Roxas was still listening, but he only laughed as he ran down the alley. I rolled my eyes and left town. It was almost twilight and I hurried my horse because I hated to be caught in the dark, and the storm clouds were arriving quicker than expected.

Winter nights were not only long and cold, but they were also some of the darkest nights I had ever experienced. Memories of times I had been caught in them flooded my mind. I wasn't a sissy; it was just that I could really never see through all the darkness without fire or moonlight. Everything seemed to be enveloped in darkness and I would crash into everything, thinking it was all the same. I wasn't blind, but I just couldn't see like the other kids. The monks would place me in dark rooms, thinking it would make me come to terms with my fear, but it only made it worse.

Back to reality, I reached for a lantern and lit it with a snap of my fingers. Having this power had its advantages, but I did as I was told, and for good reason. It had been a long time since I had been with the monks that had raised me, or in the traveling circus as a freak, but all I knew was that when people found out about my ability to command fire, all hell broke loose.

Conceding to the darkness, I dismounted my horse and walked her the rest of the way home. Finally arriving, I placed her in her enclosure with a blanket and some extra hay. I ran inside and turned on a fire, shaking away the tremors caused by the cold.

I looked around my cottage. It wasn't too shabby, but it did need some work. In the right corner, there was a small room that was about six feet in and six feet high. It should have been for wood storage, but I put my mattress in there. It was close to the fireplace so the heat would come into the small space and keep me warm through the night. The mattress was old and raggedy, and I had to stuff it with hay once in a while, but it served its purpose.

On the left-hand corner, I had my window that overlooked the large field, along with some paint cans lined on the floor and an easel with a blank canvas, ready for anything creative that came into my mind. There was also a table by the door, which wasn't used very often, only to hold my leftover paint and some sketchbooks. Aside from that, there wasn't much else, besides some stools and a rocking chair by the fire.

I listened to the wind pick up and howl by my window, the breeze a frigid air. I examined the linen that I had tied over my hands, pulling them off absently. I could hear my horse whine, and I felt awful having to leave her outside in the cold. I quickly unwrapped the linen and walked outside. The wind had almost blown me over as I trudged to my horse's enclosure. As I lit a small fire that was enclosed by some stones, I examined my horse, and was startled by her frightened temperament. When I left her alone and stepped outside, I looked over to see the town through the snow, noticing a faint glimmer of light. My suspicions were confirmed by the thick scent of ash. The town itself wasn't so much on fire, only a particular building. I smiled, because it was on rare occasions that I could see through the dark or snow.

I was halfway into the doorway when heard screaming in the distance. I thought it was just the wind, but the noise only grew in volume. I grabbed one of my lanterns and walked out a little further to see what all the commotion was about, as no one ever came out this far. I strained my vision once more and all I could see was the figure of a small person running my way. They were still a ways off into the distance, though their screams became more distinct and I was immediately horrified. It was Roxas. I ran out a little more to try to determine the current situation, but all I could see were pairs of gleaming eyes pursuing Roxas that were mixed into the flurry of falling snow.

"The heartless," I muttered. I ran back to my shed and out to the back of my house. I grabbed a shovel and a pick, and then headed towards Roxas. It was hard to carry so much in my arms, so I stopped and placed everything onto the floor. It was so much darker now and it was a struggle to see him through the snow and wind. When he came closer to my view I threw him the pick.

"Roxas I can't see you! Fight them off until I can get some more light!"

I couldn't leave the light that the lantern or the open door of my house emitted, or we would be over for sure. Damn my eyes! I saw the metallic part of the pick shine as it flew towards him. His arm was extended, open for the catch, but it was knocked out of the way. I became even more alarmed to see eyes gleaming in the air. The heartless pulled his arm down and he fell over. I lost visibility and went mad with the sound of his voice. Bastards. It's like they knew I couldn't see without light.

"Axel, please help me!" He screamed before I heard a squawk. I grabbed the lantern and the shovel and ran with all my might into the field. They were dragging him away! The light from the lantern only gave me a foot of visibility, so I charged in blindly, following the sound of his voice. I was going to be damned if I let him die just because I couldn't see.

"Roxas where are you?" I screamed. This entire fiasco was disorienting and I could see drops of blood in some of the snow. I followed it until finally, I could see the outline of one of the small shadow's bodies.

"Why don't you all pick on someone your own size?" I called hoarsely. I swung around frenzied, knocking them off of Roxas. The boy was swinging around a small blade that could only do so much. In his panic, he knocked the lantern out of my hand and my worst fear had been realized. I grabbed Roxas and pulled him close to me and looked around, though it was a feeble attempt.

They came crashing in from all directions, their eyes blending in with the snow. I swung haphazardly in front of me, but to no avail. These were some of the most violent heartless I had ever encountered. Some would run away at the sight of a human or a loud sound, but these were interested in shedding blood, and for every one I dispatched, another appeared. One managed to scratch my cheek while the others pulled off my jacket and clawed at my face. I had to get back to my house, back to the light, before all hope was lost.

I heard the sound of one of the bird-like heartless from above, and looked to see it build up a sort of light. We ran faster, but I knew what was about to happen. I pushed Roxas out of the way and I was showered with lightning. All I felt was raw aches and tremors searing through my body. I lay on the floor dizzy, and tense, and pained. My muscles wouldn't move from the paralysis and I couldn't see anything. My eyes were open but everything was black. I felt Roxas sit me up and pull the shovel from my hands, heard him swinging around. As my vision became clearer, I could faintly see him fighting them off. One of the birds pulled the shovel from his hands and took no more interest in me; they focused and funneled onto Roxas. It almost seemed that they were after him. I got up when I could hear again, feeling the pain from the cramping muscles dwindle. In a last attempt, I ran over to him and pulled him free, punching the heartless in its stomach. Another creature tried to sink its tiny teeth into me, but I shook them off violently and made a mad dash towards the house, with Roxas draped over my shoulder.

"Tell me where they are!" I said in a strained voice. Roxas looked back at them and screamed. He didn't need to tell me where they were anymore. I pulled him down and held him tightly, burying his face into my chest to make sure he wouldn't be harmed. I whipped around quickly and extended my arm. I hadn't used my fire for combat reasons for a while, and I wasn't sure how it would turn out, but I had to try. I focused and let go, and in my mind I was so angry at what they had done to Roxas and me. I was pretty sure it was felt in the furious flames that I let fly. I could hear them squirm and squeal when the flames hit them. I had never seen my fire that color before, a fierce, translucent orange that lit the path to sanctuary. The heartless turned to ash and as I stopped the flames, my arm cramped up horribly. I hadn't used my fire in that way in so long, it was expected that the recoil would be such. I let go of Roxas who was now staring at me in awe. I dug my arm into the snow to see if the pangs would stop. He crawled over to me silently.

"Axel you're a sorcerer?" he said still in shock. I looked back at him slowly and I had to bite my lips from the pain.

"Are you okay, pipsqueak? If so, can ya give me a hand and I'll answer all your questions when we're inside." Roxas nodded and helped me up. I noticed he was limping, so once more I picked him up and cradled him back to my house. He protested but eventually went silent. As we walked in, I set him down and fed more wood to the fire. He looked at me with silent tears building up in his eyes, obviously very upset. I got a pot and placed some snow that I picked from the windowsill in a kettle and placed it over the fire.

"Let me see where they cut you up Roxas," I murmured.

He looked away with a scowl. "It doesn't hurt anywhere. Don't worry about it, Axel." I rolled my eyes at what he said and pointed at his shirt.

"What's that then?" He looked down and noticed the cuts through the tears in his shirt. I grabbed a small clean cloth and pulled the kettle from the fire and set it on the floor next to him.

"Okay, we could do this the easy way, or we could do this the hard way. You either lift up your shirt and let me clean ya up so you'll live another day, or I'll rip your shirt off and clean ya, whether you like it or not." He looked at me in slight shock and whipped off his shirt, causing him to shiver from the pain. I never really realized how thin he was. The scratches were horrible and I winced as if they were my own. I pulled over a stool and fresh pieces of the linen that I used to wrap up my hands. I dipped the cloth into hot water and moved it over to his back slowly.

"This is warm water, but it might sting a little. You're lucky I don't have any rum to pour over those cuts." The cloth loomed over his back and some drops of the water dripped slowly down his spine, causing him to tense up. I pulled back slightly, but it was now or never. When I pressed the cloth to his back, he screamed and moved away.

"Sorry, kid," I apologized, but he shook his head.

"I know you have to do it. I'll try my best to keep quiet." His voice cracked, and I wasn't surprised to see him tearing. I held him steady as I wiped him clean. It was startling to see how badly they had cut him up. I had to lighten up the mood somehow, so I started asking questions.

"Where did the heartless come from?" I wondered, pulling linen over his wounds. He looked at me gravely as if someone just had died.

"Axel… I haven't been honest with you. I don't have any parents." He said faintly. I kept wrapping him up with linen.

"What's that got to do with anything, squirt? I figured that one," I teased. He continued nevertheless.

"I lived at an orphanage, and you know how asinine people that work there can be. Some of the kids decided it would be funny to frame me and get me kicked out for the night. I could fly with that, but as soon as I walked out I heard someone talking about the heartless. Then, like nothing, they came out of nowhere. They attacked everyone and took them away. I tried to save some of them, but I couldn't. I was the only one that ran and that's why they died. They didn't listen to me. The royal guard came too late and it was all up in flames. They were going to take me into the army as a reserve and I ran. It was a full-out battle and I didn't know where to go. They were too occupied by some heartless to chase me any further. When I got to the scarecrow, I realized that there were heartless chasing me, and now here I am."

My heart sank into my toes; I couldn't believe he still wasn't bawling all over the floor. No one should have gone through what he just did.

"Roxas, I'm not sure what to say. I mean, if you need a place to stay, I would gladly let you live here with me."

He looked at me, eyes brimming with crystal tears, shivering and reluctant to fall silently down his cheeks. I sat across from him and pulled away slightly. He looked at the floor, finally surrendering and letting the tears fall silently. He locked eyes with me and smiled weakly. "Thanks, Axel."

I got up and retrieved one of my dirty shirts from a small pile and handed it to him. "Clean yourself up, kiddo. You have snot all over your face. A strong boy like you shouldn't be crying. Don't be sad now, you're safe. Although, I admit if I am your last lifeline kid, you're pretty screwed. In fact, I would be crying, too," I joked, messing up his hair. I laughed a bit and he unexpectedly hugged me. I felt the blood rush to my face, but I wasn't sure if it showed. I patted him on the back awkwardly. It was the lack of this sort of closeness that I think made us have so much in common, and I had to admit it was nice to have him so close.

I realized he was still crying, and I wiped the dirt from his face and got up. I looked for some fresh clothes. I handed them to him and pointed to the corner where the bed was.

"Go over there and change. I won't look, scouts honor. I'm sleepy and I figure you are, too." He nodded, wiping his face down and scampering into the corner. I looked away, and I still couldn't believe I had gone from a starving artist to a starving artist plus a kid. I turned around and laughed because the clothes were way too big for him.

"I look like a ghost," he whined, trying to fold up his sleeves. I laughed and tucked him into bed. It was strange for me; I had really never done anything of the sort. I only had memories of some kind people doing this for me a couple of times.

"You're such a girl, Axel." I looked down and smiled warmly at a Roxas who was already falling victim to exhaustion. I smiled and got up after he fell asleep; it seemed he didn't want me to get up. He said he felt bad and hoped that I wouldn't be detoured from sleeping either. I got a blanket and a pillow and curled up on a blanket in front of the fire, wondering how exactly we're going to live through everything the world throws at us.


End file.
